Bahrainis partake in funeral of activist

Bahrain’s Saudi-backed security forces have clashed with pro-democracy protesters taking part in the funeral of an anti-regime protester.

On Tuesday, thousands of Bahrainis participated in the funeral of Jawad Ahmed al-Haawi in the country’s northeastern island of Sitra, AFP reported.

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Bahraini police fired teargas during clashes that followed the funeral.

Al-Haawi, 49, died in hospital after developing respiratory complications due to the inhalation of poisonous teargas that riot police used during a protest in March, according to his relatives.Since mid-February 2011, thousands of pro-democracy protesters have held numerous demonstrations in the streets of Bahrain, calling for the Al Khalifa royal family to relinquish power.

On March 14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates invaded the country to assist the Bahraini government in its crackdown on peaceful protesters.

According to local sources, scores of people have been killed and hundreds arrested.

Physicians for Human Rights say doctors and nurses have been detained, tortured, or disappeared because they have "evidence of atrocities committed by the authorities, security forces, and riot police" in the crackdown on anti-government protesters.